ED Announces New Grant Program; Dual Enrollment a Priority

(Courtesy of Foresight Law + Policy)

The U.S. Department of Education (USDoE) has announced the creation of the Institutional Resilience and Expanded Postsecondary Opportunity (IREPO) grant program, which is to be funded through money received by USDoE as part of the CARES Act.

The new grant program is “designed to help institutions of higher education emerge from the coronavirus pandemic more resilient and better able to expand educational opportunities for students.”

Priority for grant awards will be given to “colleges and universities with the greatest unmet needs related to COVID-19.” In addition, proposals will receive additional consideration if they:

1. Provide Dual Enrollment Opportunities to Students Who Live or Attend School in a Rural Community or Opportunity Zone;
2. Are led by, or include as partners, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges, Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), and/or developing institutions that are eligible to participate in Title III or Title V programs; and/or
3. Are committed to developing more resilient instructional delivery models, such as distance learning, that make learning possible even when students cannot be physically present on campus for any reason.

More information on the new grant opportunity, including instructions on how to apply, can be accessed here. A notice of intent to apply will be due by September 10, with the full proposals due by October 20, 2020.